Device for restricting warping of doors



June 27, 1950 H. A. SINGER DEVICE FOR RESTRICTING WARPING 0F DOORS Filed April 25, 1946 FIG.2.

INVENTOR.

HARRY A. S INGER AT TO NEYS skill, and without making any Patented June 27, 1950 F'C -E 'nEvI'c'EFoR RESTRICTING WARPING or moons 1 Harry A. "Singer, Elwood, 1nd. :mi lieanonnprirz's, 194c,'sena1No.-ss4;4o3

2=Claims.

This invention relates to devices for res'trictin-g th'e war ingof woodwork, such as anels, partitions, doors, and the like, and for straightening these "members again Whenwarped.

An object of "the "invention is "to provide *a device which can "be 'useiijfor straightening warped doors, and for maintaining-them 'i'n straightened condition. I I

"Another object of the -invention is 'tofprov ide a door-straightening "device which is-simplein co'nstruction, inexpensive to manufacture, and =eflective in operation.

A "ruztherohjeet or the invention is to provide a door-straighteningdevice which is adjustable and is thus capable of restoring adoor which is duite badly warped. I p v 7 Another object df the invention is to "provide *a door-straightening device which may be installed onany 'iioor withoutthe need for special tools or structural changes in the door itself.

Other and fufther objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the'following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in. the accompanying drawings, and'in which:

Figure '1'is a front elevation 'of'a portion. of a door with my improved door-straightener installed.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail in fragment, of the right hand end of the torsion bar shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail in fragment, of the left hand end of the torsion bar shown in Figure 1.

As illustrated, a door 2 set into and hinged to door frame 3 has vertical side members 4 and 6 connected by a horizontal member 8, wire mesh screen material I 0 being set into and fastened in the openings l2 bounded by the side and horizontal members. shown, it is to be understood that this is merely by way of illustration, and that my invention may be applied to doors and the like regardless of construction of the door, so long as a tendency to warp exists. When the door is constructed, the surfaces of the side and horizontal members on either face of the door all lie in the same plane. However, due to a variety of causes, chiefly the use of unseasoned or partly seasoned wood, the door may warp so that the Although a screen door is 2 surfaees'df fireside anuhcrizental members on a given face o'f the door will not lie in'the saine plane. con'ditioncan be corrected, an"- the door restored to plane condition by'means invention which exerts "twisting "or torsional force on the door for this purpose, thus bend ing it back into its original shape.

'Iemploy a torsion bar or' twisting rod 14, cylindrioal F in contour, although otlfer shapes may o'e used, the rod l4 beingalmost'as'long the door iswide The rod MispreferabIymade of spring steel. 'One end I'6 of the rodis'flatte'ned as best seen in '5. etner end "t8 dithered "1-4 is bent at 20 at right angles to the body of the rod, as best seen inFi'gure 4, an'd is flattened at its "tip An-aperture 24 is 'formed in"thefiat-' ten'ed tip 22 for the reeep'tion of a screw-assist; for holding the tip'2 2 securely againstone 6f siae members or the door, such as a side member bracket-28 two mes 3ll'a nd 32 'with'thei'r ends 34 and =36 bent into parallelism and align-'- ment -as "seen in Figure the bracket being secured to vertical side member '4 by rnearis er screws Q8 extending through holes in ieg ends '34 and 36 and into the side member '4. spaced ad'- justing screws "40 and "4-2 are threaded into reeesses 4 4 and 46 in leg 30, *as' shown in "Fi ure s; the shanks or the screws 4"0 and-12 extending through corresponding holes in clamping plate 48 which is thus pressed toward leg 30 as the adjusting screws are tightened. A transverse groove or channel 5|] is formed in the outer surface of leg 30 intermediate the recesses 44 and '46.

The rod I4 is thus installed with one end l8 secured to the right vertical side member 6 and with its other end extending into the space 52 between the adjusting screws 40 and 42 and the leg 30 and clamping plate 48 and into the groove 50.

As seen in Figure 3, it will be noted that as the adjusting screws 40 and 42 are tightened, the clamping plate 48 exerts torsional force on the flattened end It of the rod l4 so as to tend to turn it clockwise, as observed in the view, toward parallelism with the plane of the clamping plate. The torsional force thus exerted is transmitted through the bar I4, pressing the portion 20 of the bar tightly against the right side member 6 of the door and drawing the end 22 and the upper portion of the side member 6 toward the observer, as seen in Figure 1, thus exerting a turning couple about location I8, and straightening the door. It is obvious that the position of the device including the bar l4 and the bracket 28 inch. The device ispreferably applied to the inside of the door. When the door straightener is applied to a screen door it reinforces the door door, thus protecting the screen.

Although I have described a preferredembodif ment of my invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that various changes maybe made in said torsion bar opposite said lateral arm, said size, shape, material and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A device for'realigning two spacedportions and connected'portions of a body warped with respect-to each other, said device comprising a torsion bar extending across one side of said body between said portions, said bar having on one end a lateral arm of substantial length bearing along the surface'of one of said portions, means iixin the outerend of said arm to said one portionand preventing said arm from pivoting away from said one portion in a direction cortion and operatively engaging the end'of said torsion bar opposite said lateral arm, said means,

being operable to axially rotate said torsion arm outwardly and hold said torsion arm tensioned;

with sufficient torsion to force and hold said portions into alignment with respect, to each other, said means comprising a bracket fixed to said remaining body-portion, a plate mounted on said'bracket for movement toward and away from surface of said bracket, a transverse flat on the related end of said torsion bar positioned between said bracket and said plate, said fiat bein arranged at an angle -to the surface of said bracket, with one edge engaged with said bracket surface to provide a fulcrum and with the opposite side edge engaged with said plate, said P e eing m vable toward said. b acket in a manner to tilt said fiat toward said bracket surface and thereby axially torsion said torsion bar in an outward direction.

2. A device for realigning two spaced portions and connected portions of a body warped with respect to each other, said device comprising a torsion bar extending across one side of said body between said portions, said bar having on one end a lateral arm of substantial length bearing along the surface of one of said portions, means fixing the outer end of said arm to said one and also serves as a push bar for opening the b rt n and preventing said arm from, pivoting away from said one portion in a direction cor- ,responding to outward axial rotation of said bar, and means mounted on the remaining body portionand operatively engaging the end of fixed to said remaining body portion, a plate mounted on said bracketfor movement toward and away from surface of saidbracket, a transverse flat on the related end of said torsion bar positioned between said bracketand said plate, said flat being arranged at an angle to the-surface of said bracket, with one edge engaged with said bracket'surface to .provide a fulcrum and with the opposite side edge engaged with said plate, said plate being movable toward said bracket in a manner to-ti1t said flat toward said bracket surface and therebyaxially torsion said torsion'bar in an outward direction, and means for retaining said plate in position relative to said bracket to maintainsaid bar in torsioned condition.

REFERENC S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Reens l Oct. 8, 1929 HARRY. A. SINGER. g 

